Movable targets and movable target carriers used both indoors and outdoors are well established in the market. They include products made both by Meggitt Training Systems and several other competitors in the market. In addition, there are systems that use stationary projectors to project onto mobile target carriers. Prior art systems use projectors sitting on a tripod or use a fixed installation overhead. None of these systems can maintain the relative distance between the target carrier and the projector while the target is simultaneously moving.
One issue with a fixed projection system for target shooting is related to focusing the image on the target. The fixed projector has a limited focal range and in order to make the target look farther away, projectors typically must project a smaller image. This is because the target cannot be easily moved through a wide range and still be in the focus of the projector. In addition, if the target is moved farther away from the fixed projector, the shooter observes a diminished light density on the target, further decreasing usability. This creates a shooting experience that is not as realistic as shooting at the real distance and is thus, less desirable.
Moreover, as the target is retracted towards the shooter such that the shooter can evaluate his performance by comparing his bullet strikes to the targets, the images simply disappear as the target moves out of range of the projector focus. Consequently, the shooter cannot evaluate his performance.
To this end, it would be desirable to have a moving target carrier that can work with a projection system and still move through a wide range of positions while maintaining a sharp focused image on the target with a consistent light density.